Stair climber type of hand truck



April 21, 1953 R. J. MENNE STAIR CLIMBER TYPE oF HAND TRUCK 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed June B, 1949 g a a 3,5 a g a f 9 QSA INVENTOR. Ray J. Menne AT1-onzin?.

April 21, 1953 R. J. MENNE 2,635,887

STAIR CLIMBER TYPE OF' HAND TRUCK Filed June 8, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. Ray Manne.

BYKMMM A T TORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STAIR CLIMBER TYPE F HAND TRUCK Ray J. Menne, East Troy, Wis.

Application June 8, 1949, Serial No. 97,733

' (ci. 28o-5.24)

1 Claim.

This invention relates to hand trucks and particularly to track-laying means adapting such trucks for travel up and down stairways.

The invention provides a tread adjacent each Vwheel of the truck which is disposed to receive and support the weight of the truck as the wheels pass over a step. The truck is adapted to slide on the treads until the wheels reach the next step and momentarily relievethe treads which are automatically then repositioned to engage the next step.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a hand truck which will traverse stairways more easily.

A more particular object is to eliminate the need of endless tracks or treads which are cumbersome and ineicient.

A further object is to provide a rigid tread for the hand truck which will support the load on the edge of the steps anywhere along its length without collapse or strain.

Another object is to provide for the more smooth travel of the truck on the tread and with less efort required to overcome friction.

Another object is to reposition the treads without variation automatically and positively as the truck traverses the stairs.

Another object is to reposition the treads rapidly and accurately as the truck traverses a series of steps without noise or vibration.

Another object is to provide a less expensive track-laying device which may be easily tted on any hand truck to adapt the same for travel up and down stairs.

These and other objects and advantages will be more fully set forth in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a two-wheeled hand truck equipped with treads for traversing a stairway;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the truck shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 through a tread;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken through the spring unit for repositioning the treads;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line 5.-5 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views showing the operation of the truck in descending a stairway; and

Figs. 10, 11, l2 and 13 are diagrammatic views showingwthe operation of the truck in ascending a stairway.

carried on the axle 5 at the lower end of the truck provide for travel of the truck over relatively flat concourses.

The structural framework 6 on the underside of frame I serves to reinforce the latter and includes the parallel rails 1 of T-section. The lower end of each rail I is disposed adjacent the inside of a corresponding wheel 4 and the rail extends upwardly along frame I from beneath axle 5.

The treads 8 for travel up and down stairways, as will be described, comprise the slide shoes 9 which are formed lengthwise to provide the slots I0 to adapt the treads to be slidably secured on rails 'I and the rubber tires II secured to the underside of each shoe 9 to protect the stairways.

The cylinder I2 secured to each rail I at the upper end of the truck encloses the spring I3 disposed between end washers I4. The operating rod I5 is secured to the lug I6 of the corresponding tread 8 carried by rail I and slidably extends ihrouzgh washers I4 and spring I3 within cyliner Y The ends I'I of cylinder I2 are partially closed to retain washers I4 and spring I3 under compression within the cylinder but to allow the stops I8 carried by rod I5 to pass therethrough.

Stops I8 on rod I5 normally engage respectively opposite washers I4 so that spring I3 biasing the washers against the ends I'I of cylinder i2 normally and positively positions rod I5 and the tread 8 connected thereto.

Upon movement of treads 8, as will be described, in either direction, a corresponding stop I8 engages the respective washer I 4 to compress spring I3 in the same direction against the other washer through which the rod is adapted to slide. Upon release of tread 8, spring I3 expands to the full length of cylinder I2 to reposition rod I5 and the tread, as described.

In using the truck, the load, not shown, is most easily carried with the truck tilted to balance the load over wheels 4.

In approaching a stairway going down, the truck Wheels 4 are driven over the top steILas shown in Fig. 6, and the truck lowers onto the treads 8 which then engage the edge of the step, as shown in Fig. 7. The truck is then lowered with rails I sliding in slots I 0 of treads 8 until wheels 4 contact the iirst lower step, as in Fig. 8.

As wheels 4 ride momentarily on the rst lower step the treads 8 are relieved of the load and repositioned by spring I3 through rod I5 as described above and as shown in Fig. 9. As wheels 4 ride over each step the truck is thus alternate-.- ly carried by the treads 8 and wheels 4 until the bottom of the stairway is reached.

In approaching, a stairway going. up, the truck is turned so. that both treads. 8 engage the first step, as shown in Figs. 10 and 1l. With rails I sliding upwardly in slots l of treads 8, the truck.

is lifted until wheels 4 reach the shown in Fig. 12.

As the wheels 4 engage the rst step. the truck load is removed from the treads 8 Whichtheree upon are repositioned immediately by springs I3, asi-shown in Fig. 13.

As will be understood from the foregoing, the position of treads 8 with respect to wheels d is best determined with regard to the load which. the` truck is designed to carry. The wheels'should project sufficiently* beyond the base plane of treads- 8 to relieve fully the truck load upon the.V treads. 3` for repositioning thev treads with each step that is traversed. The treads 8: in their'normal position should extend high enough to. engage the edge of the first step of astairway ini going up andshould be provided by spring I3 with an operating dis.- `tance onl rails 'I' sufcient to.` allow thatruck to traverse the full distance. between steps, asv de.-

scribed. f

By reason of the double action of Ysprings 113,

rst step, as

the springs 'serve t'ozabsorb. the recoil oftreads 8 A Y astl'i'ey are returnedbly the springsto; their nor;- mal positions on rails I each time to engage. the nextstep Rails I and.' thesl'otsi IB of theA treads require nominal lubricationA for operation of the truck with` a. minimum of frictionaly resistance to travel.

The truckV may beeasilypoised by theoperators on any: step of thestairway., as desired, along the Wayrfor their accommodation.

The complete operating unit including rails, l

equipped with a tread unit adjacent each wheel and will traverse stairways in a similar manner.

These and various other embodiments of the invention may be employed within the scope of the accompanying claim.

I claim:

A hand truck of the class described comprising. a tubular. frame with a pair of. side bars and a lift platform at one end, a pair of wheels disposed adjacent the side bars and behind the platform to support the same, a handle depressed vfrom the plane of the .side bars and formed by a cross member therefor at the end opposite said lift platform, apair of xed side rails extending beneath said side bars in spaced relation thereto from a. position adjacent to said wheels to the corresponding ends of the handle cross member, a shoe mounted on each rail to travel in either direction thereon and normally disposed just behind the Wheel tread position and extending upvvardlyk therefrom along the rail toward thehandie, said shoes being adapted to takeithel'oad! of thetruck from the wheels when` traveling up or down a stair step and after or before the Wheels contact thevedge ofthe step, a pair of long cylindrical spring housings each carriedV by a bracket pivoted toV theV respective-side railV near the handle, a coil` compression spring in each said housing, a rod passing axialiy through the housing and spring and connected at its lower end tothe corresponding shoe t"o reciprocate therewith; abutment Washers oneach said rod and confine-d in the corresponding housing for compressing the spring from either end corresponding t0`v the direction of movement of the rod therethrough, and

labutments on each said rodL disposed to engage the corresponding washers and to hold thecorrespondingj shoe inl normal position when said spring is generally extended in'said housing.

RAY J. MENNE.

References CitedV in theV le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

